The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the people of Manipur on their Statehood Day.

“Manipur is blessed with immense natural beauty and hardworking citizens. I can never forget the affection I have got in the state. On their Statehood Day, I greet my sisters and brothers of Manipur. May the state continue scaling new heights of development”, the Prime Minister said.

Kinnar Akhara, a group of transgender saints pursuing religious activities has emerged as a very significant feature at Prayagraj Kumbh.

Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Lakshmi Narayanan Tripathi has said that transgenders were badly exploited in the society and even their parents were forced to live a disgraceful life. He said transgenders have been part of Sanatan Dharm and they have been given respectful status in religious epics and books of Hindu mythology. He said Akhara has provided a forum to transgenders to pursue a dignified life with religious rituals. He said Juna Akhara a traditional powerful Akhara of Sanyasi saints and seers has given the recognition to Kinnar Akhara and has allowed to be part of Shahi Snan procession. Expressing gratitude towards Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Of Juna Akhara Swami Awadeshanand ji Maharaj and Mahamandaleshwar Hari Giri ji Maharaj Kinnar Akhara chief said that Akhara has felt honoured with the decision.
Kinnar Akhara has set up a huge camp in sector 12 at Prayagraj Kumbh and it attracts hundreds of thousand devotees on daily basis. Visitors seeks blessings from the Akhara members. Akhara’s camp will continue till Mahashivaratri contrary to traditional Akharas who leave the Mela after taking third Shahi Snan on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami. Akhara Chief Lakshmi Narayanan Tripathi has announced to set up a Ashram at Prayagraj.

For the first time, the three day long convention is being organized in Varanasi from 21-23 January, 2019. The theme of PBD Convention 2019 is "Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India".

In reverence to the sentiments of the larger diaspora to participate in Kumbh Mela and Republic Day celebrations, the 15th PBD Convention is being organised from 21 to 23 January 2019 instead of 9th January. After the Convention, participants will visit Prayagraj for Kumbh Mela on 24th January. They will then proceed to Delhi on 25th January and witness the Republic Day Parade at New Delhi on 26th January 2019.

Prime Minister of Mauritius Mr. Pravind Jugnauth will be the chief guest of the PBD convention. Mr. Himanshu Gulati, Member of Parliament of Norway, will be the Special Guest while Mr. Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Member of Parliament of New Zealand will be the Guest of Honor at the 15th edition of PBD.

Key events of this edition include-

21 January, 2019- Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas. The event will provide opportunities for the young Diaspora to engage with New India.

22 January 2019 – Inauguration of PBD convention by Prime Minister in presence of Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth.

23 January 2019 – Valedictory Session & Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards by the President of India.

Various plenary sessions are also scheduled during the event. The evenings are marked with cultural programs.

About Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas:

The decision to celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) was taken by the former Indian Prime Minister, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The 1st PBD was celebrated on 9th January, 2003 in New Delhi. January 9 was chosen as the day to celebrate PBD as it was on this day in 1915 that Mahatma Gandhi, had returned to India from South Africa.

PBD now celebrated once in every two years, provides a platform to the overseas Indian community to engage with the government and reconnect with their roots. During the Convention, Pravasi Bharatiya Samman is conferred on the selected overseas Indians for their significant contributions to various fields both in India and abroad.

14th PBD held during 7–9 January 2017 at Bengaluru, Karnataka was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The theme for the 14th PBD was "Redefining engagement with the Indian diaspora”. In his address, Mr. Modi had said that Indian diaspora represents the best of Indian culture, ethos and values and are respected for their contributions. He underlined the importance of a continuous engagement with the overseas Indian community as a key area of priority for the Government.

New Delhi: In a wonderful meeting of hearts and minds, Kulbir Singh Khalsa, son of the late Siri Singh Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji and chief of Sikh Dharma International, met with his Holiness, Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. On this sunny afternoon in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, there was a warm and open exchange of love and support. The Dalai Lama gave his blessings to Kulbir Singh and Sikh Dharma International to continue the work of serving humanity and bringing spirituality to the world.

“It was a wonderful meeting and exchange of thoughts,” said Kulbir Singh. “The Dalai Lama and his people have suffered a lot, and it is very uplifting to hear him speaking with gentleness and hope. His consistent message, over these many years, is that there is no other answer to the problems of today but to bring all of humanity together in love and peace. We must leave behind greed and aggression and serve people. When you do that, you will see all people as equal. That is the same message as the Sikh teaching of Sarbat Da Bala – wishing good for all people. This is what we believe in.”

Kulbir Singh invited the Dalai Lama to participate in the year-long celebrations to honor the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Guru Nanak, putting on Tibetan dress, visited both Eastern and Western Tibet in the 15th century and his impact on this region was profound. Known as Guru Rinpoche, or “Precious Teacher”, images of Guru Nanak can be seen in Buddhist monasteries in Eastern Tibet. Guru Nanak’senlightened teachings of the universality of spirit and the equality of mankind remain alive in Tibet today.

In early seventies Yogi Bhajan, who would later be known as Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji began to teach in the United States. Through his inspiration, insight and example many Westerners began adopting the Sikh way of life, attracted by the spiritual practices of Sikh Dharma and its egalitarian teachings that respect all religions. Sikhs do not convert people.

Since 1973, Sikh Dharma International (SDI) has been a recognized non-profit 501c(3) religious organization in the United States and an effective vehicle for spreading the teachings of the Sikh Gurus in every direction of the globe. It is a California registered non-profit 501c (3) organization that serves the needs of the global Sikh Sangat (community). The headquarters for Sikh Dharma International is located in the beautiful Espanola Valley in northern New Mexico, at Guru Ram Das Ashram (Hacienda de Guru Ram Das).

Actress Priya Prakash Varrier recently shared pictures from her latest photoshoot. In the pictures, the wink girl is seen wearing a red dress flaunting her tattoos. She has teamed up her look with subtle makeup, kohl in eyes, a pair of earrings, bold lipstick and hair tied in a neat bun. She looks bold and beautiful in her latest pictures.

Earlier her pictures from the Uri screening went viral. Priya can be seen posing with actor Ranveer Singh. The latter upped the pout game. Not only this, Speculations have been rife that she is planning for her Bollywood debut. However, nothing official has been said on the same.

Talking about her film, Sridevi Banglow is in a soup of controversies with director Boney Kapoor slamming a legal notice on the makers and the actress of the film. Regarding the legal notice sent by Boney Kapoor and her character in the film, she said to Deccan Chronical, “The story is based on a female superstar. And I was happy to get to play this role. The entire story focuses on the superstar. Obviously for me to get such a meaty role as my debut film .why would I say “No” to it.”

New Delhi: Aadhaar cards are now valid travel documents for Indians under 15 and over 65 travelling to Nepal and Bhutan, according to a Home Ministry communique.

Indians other than those in the two age brackets will not be able to use Aadhaar to travel to the two neighbouring countries, for which no visas are needed, clarified the communique issued recently.

Indian citizens going to Nepal and Bhutan don’t need a visa if they have a valid passport, a photo identity card issued by the government of India or an election ID card issued by the Election Commission, it added.

Earlier, persons over 65 and under 15 could show their PAN card, driving licence, Central Government Health Service (CGHS) card or ration card, but not the Aadhaar, to prove their identity and visit the two countries.

The Aadhaar card has now been added to the list, explained a senior Home Ministry official.

“Now, persons in the age group of over 65 years and below 15 years have been allowed to use Aadhaar as a valid travel document,” the official told PTI.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It is being made mandatory for using a host of government services.

Giving details, the official said a certificate of registration issued by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, to Indian nationals is not an acceptable travel document for travelling between India and Nepal.

“However, the emergency certificate and identity certificate issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal will be valid for single journey for travelling back to India,” he said, citing the communique.

Teens between 15 to 18 years will be allowed to travel between India and Nepal on the basis of an identity certificate issued by the principal of their school in a prescribed form, the officer said.

In case of a family (like husband, wife, minor children and parents) travelling together, all persons will not be required to carry relevant documents (such as a passport or an election ID) if one of the adult members has valid travel papers, he said.

However, the other family members must have some proof of their identity with a photograph and their relationship as a family, such as a CGHS card, ration card, a driving licence or an ID card issued by school/college, the official explained.

Indian nationals travelling to Bhutan need to have either an Indian passport with minimum validity of six months or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India.

Bhutan, which shares borders with the Indian states of Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal, has about 60,000 Indian nationals, employed mostly in the hydroelectric power and construction industry.

In addition, between 8,000 and 10,000 daily workers enter and exit Bhutan everyday in border towns.

About six lakh Indians live in Nepal, according to data by the Ministry of External Affairs.

These include businesspersons and traders who have been living in Nepal for a long time, professionals (doctors, engineers, IT personnel) and labourers (including seasonal/migratory) in the construction sector, it said.

Nepal shares a border of over 1,850 km with five Indian states Sikkim, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. (PTI)